IN PHOTOS: The Syrian catastrophe continues

IN PHOTOS: The Syrian catastrophe continues

With violence intensifying, children massacred and often used as 'human shields', and international pressure groups absolutely clueless on how to restrict the mass bloodshed, the war in Syria is just drifting from bad to worse.

Bashar Al Assad's unpopular government has been alleged to unleash a reign of violence -- bloodier than ever before -- on the rebel troops. However, the lives of millions of common Syrians have been irrevocably damaged.

The popular uprising against more than five decades old Ba'ath Party government, which began as a part of the wider Arab Spring movement in January 2011, has taken the lives of at least 20,000 people till date, injuring thousands others.

The United Nations has already termed the situation in Syria as a 'civil war' and has warned of an alarming escalation of violence. But the combined efforts of UN and other countries to stall the brutality in Syria has been entangled in international diplomacy and proved futile till now.

Rediff.com brings forth some photographs of the latest violence in war-torn Syria.

Damaged buildings are seen in Homs in this May 24 picture. This western city, about 100 kms north of capital Damascus has been one of the epicentres of the military operation against rebels and has witnessed widespread casualties and devastation.

IN PHOTOS: The Syrian catastrophe continues

A man walks past damaged buildings in war-torn Homs on June 2. The Syrian army has been able to regain most of the city -- also known as 'The Capital of Revolution' by the opposition – from the rebels following prolonged violence and bombardment.

IN PHOTOS: The Syrian catastrophe continues

Syrian women walk at the Baba Amr neighbourhood of Homs during a United Nations observers' visit. The United Nations is accelerating deployment of unarmed observers to Syria to monitor a shaky UN-backed ceasefire.